Automatic emergency mechanism



May 9, 1950 Filed Feb. 19, 1948 J. A. DONNELLY AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig q 90 Q 92 3 I Q 34 [/6 //4 2 J F I [,6 I l nu III!) I l l l llflmlll //4 Fig. 2

. 44 Joseph A. Donnel/y INVENTOR.

F ig. 6' BY y 1950 J. A. DONNELLY 2,506,709

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY MECHANISM Filed Feb. 19, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 82 Fig. 3

Joseph A Donnel/y INVENTOR.

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED *SIATES "TENT pence '71Claims. 1 'invention comprises novel and useful-"improvements in an automatic-emergency mechamismand more specifically-pertains to anemeragency device for automatically applying'the air ":brakes @of a -train whenever a wheel jumps the rail;-* and whenever-one or more bearings become pverheated.

The principal object of'this invention is to provAndean attachment which may be readily applied "to railway trains and to the-air brake system ethereofffor automatically venting the train line pressure and applying the air 'Icrakes whenever a'wheel-jumps the rail.

A f-urther' object of theinvention is'topro'v'ide uamattachment in accordance with the preceding "object which will further apply 'theair brakes whenever one of the journals becomes overheated.

-A-n* important feature of the inventionresides lnprovi'ding an attachment which-may bereadily applied to and mounted on the journal-box of a *railway truck and which is connected to'the"train 'piper-and thetrain line pressure thereof.

*A furtherafeature of the invention resides in 'theprovision of an attachment as setforth in i thepreceding objects and features together'with ran .actuatingmeans for venting the train pipe engagementpf "a valve actuatn g lever with :the rail whenever a wheel jumps the rail.

:And aiurther feature'of the invention is "to provideanimprovedmeansior positively openor "venting the train pipe' whenever a' wheel jofatruckjumpsthe rail.

"These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention whichwill later become'apparent as "the following description proceeds, are 'at- "tained'by "this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in' the accompanying "drawings, wherein:

Figure '1 is a side elevational view of aportlon'of a railway car truclqpartly in'section-and "partly-in elevation and taken substantially in the plane of the vertical section line Il of Figure 2, "showing the invention appliedthereto;

"Figure2-is a top 'plan'view ofthe invention-as *a-ppliedto a railway car truck-as shown inFiginc 1;

*FigureB is an enlarged detailed view partly 'in vertical elevation and partly in vertical sectio'n through the venting valve means "of "the .device;

Figure 4 is avertical transverse "detailed" sectional view taken substantially the plane of "the-section line 4-4 o'fFigureB;

"Figure '5 is a vertical transversesectiona1"de "nate -similar 'pa'rtsthroughout V the various views, attention is directed "first to Figures "l a'nd 2,

-"-taile'd vi'ew taken substantially m me -"planet: the section line ii-5 of Figure3;

"" Fi'g'ure' S is a broken longitudinal-sectional iifw through the temperature responsive air venting -'-means of the invention;

Figure 7 is "a, fragmentary/perspective view iif a detail of the' 'invention; I

Figure 8 is a perspective view "ofa. cam ior operating the'venting' valve of 'the' invention:

away of thether-mostatically controlled-Waiting valve' of theinvention;

Figure 10 is -an-'enlarged View "taken in mp Figure 11 is-an elevatio'nal "end view ofthe thermostatic valve "means shown in Figures- 6 and 9.

*Referring nowmore-specificallytothe accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals-"deem whe'rein It] indicates generally a portion of thje "frame of a railroad truckof any conventional 'type,which frame'is provided'with 'thecustomary journal box l 2 'within'which' is' mounted the jour- "nal' bearing "I 4ffor supporting the weight *of'i'th'e railway car'and truck upon the aids -160i a when [.8 mounte'd'in the usual "manner' for rolling move- As-"shownvbest in Figure 11a branch conduit?!) preferably of "a flexible nature is-connected'with id/having forwardly'and "rearwar'dly extending :bran'ches "26 and '28. 'O-neof these branches =a7s "26, is connected with a thermostatically :c'om trolled valve meansto be described hereinafter for venting the train line pressure and'therefore adjusting 0r setting the air brakes of the tra-in in a "slow serviceable position 'thus bringin'g the train to a slow and-normal stop whenthe bear ing' journal ll-exceeds a predetermined safe tern 'perature. 'The'other-"conduit 28 is connected with a 'venting valve indicatedrgenerally at 30 "which "is operable whenever the-wheel "I 8' jumps or' 'dro'ps from the rail 20 to immediatelyset' the "brakes f the entire 'train in emergency position for stepping 1 the train. The T-shape'd coupling 2'4 and branch conduits 26 and 2-8 may be mounte'd upo'n. the journal box 12 in any suitable manner.. However, in "order "to render the device readily "applicable "-to existing "journal hoxes "of railway trucks, there is provideii a :mounting bratkct -Mr which is generally square or rectangular in shape as shown in Figure 1 and may be readily applied to and clamped about conventional types of journal boxes as by a clamping nut and bolt 34.

It is contemplated that all of the parts forming elements of this attachment may be rigidly secured as by welding to the outer surface of the strap or clamp 32, whereby the entire device as a unitary assembly may be readily applied to or removed from a journal box of a conventional truck journal.

As shown in Figure l, the T-shaped coupling 24 is secured as by a web or supporting flange 36 which is welded to the upper surface of the strap 32.

Attention is now directed more particularly to Figures 6 and 9 for a better understanding of the construction of the thermostatically operated venting valve forming a part of this invention.

A tubular sleeve or bushing 88 which is externally threaded as at 40, is inserted in an opening in the end wall of the journal box I2, and has its forward extension 42 which is of square crosssection as shown in Figure 11, and closed at its inner end as at 44, inserted in a suitable bore in the upper portion of the journal box with its end in close and direct contact with the bearing journal I4. As will be seen by reference to Figures 6 and 9, the end or terminal of the bushing is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced bores or apertures 46, which are filled or closed by fusible plugs 48 of any suitable material such as alloys having different melting points.

The thermostatic element 38 is retained in proper position as by fastening nuts which embrace the end wall of the journal box I2 in order to rigidly secure the thermal element in proper position in the journal box. 7

The operation of the thermally responsive venting means is as follows. Brake pipe pressure is constantly supplied by the flexible conduit 22, the T-shaped coupling 24 and the branch conduit 26 to the interior of the thermal element 38. When -a hot box develops, or the bearing journal I4 attains a temperature exceeding a predetermined safe maximum for which the thermal element is adjusted, one or more of the low melting point alloy fusible plugs 48 will be melted, thereby establishing a vent for the brake pipe.

As set forth hereinbefore, each of the plugs 48 may have a different melting point, whereby successive vents will be established, as the temperature of the journal bearing begins to rise. Thus, as the temperature rises, the leak of the air from the air pipe will be gradually increased, thus gradually applying the brakes until when all of the fusible plugs have been melted, a sufficient leak is established to slowly and serviceably set the brakes of the entire train and thereby bring the train to a slow and normal stop. Alternatively, all of the plugs 48 could be of the same material, whereby as the temperature of the journal exceeds its predetermined safe minimum, the heat will travel from the closed end 44 backwardly along the thermal element, melting one fusible plug after another until the entire air pressure of the main train line is exhausted. There is customarily a shut-off valve between the train line and the flexible conduit which it is necessary to close in order to restore the air brake system to operative condition. The thermal unit 38 which has been vented by overheating the bearing must be replaced by a new unit.

Attention is now directed to Figures 1-3 for an understanding of the mechanism for setting the brakes in response to a wheel jumping the track. As shown in Figure 3, the branch line 28 is externally threaded at its outer extremity as at 52. A generally cylindrical bushing or sleeve 54 is screwed upon the threads 52, this bushing being provided at its outer end with a valve seat or port 56. A generally circular plate 58 having a valve disk 60 secured thereto as by an integral threaded stem 62 and lock nut 64, is pivotally secured to the casing 54. To effect this, the plate 58 is provided with apertures at its lower and upper portions, through which extend rods 66 and 68 respectively, these rods being pivoted at their inner ends as at 10 and I2 to lugs 14 and I6 on the housing 54.

The lower rod 66 is thus pivoted to the lug 14 at its inner end, While its outer end is screwthreaded as at 18, extends through the lower aperture in the plate 58 and is adjustably positioned therein as by the outermost adjusting nut 80.

The lowermost rod 66 is thus pivoted about its pin I0, and constitutes an adjustable fulcrum for the plate 58. The adjustment of this fulcrum is regulated by adjustment of the nut upon the screw-threaded portion I8 of the rod 66, to thus adjust the fulcrumlongitudinally of the rod 66. The upper rod 68 constitutes a latch means for retaining the valve plate 58 in its closed position.

For this purpose, the rod 68 is provided with an outer screw-threaded portion 82, upon which are provided adjusting nuts 84 and 86 which are adapted to straddle the aperture at the upper end of. the valve plate 58, this aperture being indicated at 88 as forming a vertically extending notch or detent. When the valve plate 58 is closed, with the valve 60 being pressed against the seat 56, with or without the aid of a gasket for establishing an air-tight seal at this point,- the plate is retained in its closed position by means of the lock nuts 84 and 86 straddling the aperture 88 in the plate 58. When, now, the rod 68 is raised upwardly about its pivot pin 12, th lock nuts 84 and 86 will be withdrawn from their retaining engagement with the notch 88, thereby releasing the upper end of the plate 58 and permitting the same to pivot or swing outwardly and thus permit the valve 60 to uncover the port 56. When this occurs, a complete venting of the train line brake pressure through the branch conduit 28v is effected, this reduction of pressure causing an immediate setting of the brakes of the train to the emergency position. This upward movement of the latch rod 68 is effected b means of a push rod 90 which as shown in Figure 1, is journalled for vertical movement in a suitable guide bushing or bracket 92 carried by the strap 32. The upper end of the push rod 90 as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 10, is provided with a semi-circular seat 93 engaging the undersurface of a curved semi-circular seat 94 in a member 96 screw-threaded upon the outer extremity of the rod 68. The lower end of the push rod 90 is pivoted as at 98 to an operating lever I00 which is pivoted as at I02 to a support bracket I04 welded or otherwise attached to the lower portion of the clamp 32. The lever I00 extends through a pair of guide members I05 and I08 depending from the strap 32, to confine the lever to movement in a vertical plane. I

The innermost end of the lever I00 is provided with a curved portion IIO constituting an abutment element for engagement with the undersurface of the strap 32, to limit the swinging of The outer end of the lever as shown best in Figure 2, is provided with an inwardly curved portion H2 terminating in an end portion H4 which overlies the rail 20. Secured to the outer end of this terminal portion H4, is a contact member Ht which overlies the rail 20 and is spaced slightly thereabove. The arrangement is such that when the wheel I8 jumps the rail 29, the wheel will drop down upon the tie of the roadbed, causing the contact member H6 to drop upon the rail 20, and urge the lever I in a clockwise direction about its fulcrum end 192, thereby lifting the push rod 9|] and causing the members 92 and 96 to raise the latch 68, thereby releasing the upper end of the valve plate 58. As above described, this causes the valve plate to pivot about its fastening at the outer end of the lower rod 66, thereby opening the valve 60 from its seat 55 and venting the train line pressure to set the brakes of the train.

As so far described, this device is perfectly capable of satisfactory operation under normal conditions. However, in some instances, particularly in below freezing temperatures, it is possible that moisture may freeze upon the valve and its seat, whereby the train line pressure will be insuf icient to break this engagement and vent the train line, when the rod 90 is elevated. In order to prevent this condition, positive means are provided for forcing the valve from its seat upon an actuation of the rod 90. This means as shown most satisfactorily in Figures 3, 4 and 5, consists of a pair of cams H8, pivoted as at I20 to the sides of the casing 54, and provided with operating arms I22, which are provided with notches I24 in the ends thereof. As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the rod 68 has welded thereto a pair of arcuate laterally disposed arms I26,

whose lower ends are provided with inturned portions E28, adapted to engage the notches 124. The arrangement is such that when the latch 68 is elevated or lifted about its fulcrum pin 12, the arms I26 and ends I28 are likewise lifted, the latter engaging the notches I24, and rotating the cam H8, to cause the nose thereof to force the plate 58 away from the end of the casing 54 and thus positively retract the valve 60 from its seat 56.

From the foregoing, the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood, and accordingly further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous changes will readily appear to those skilled in the art, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a railway train air brake system, a railway truck, a safety device including a pressure release valve assembly connected with the train line and operable to vent the same for setting the train brakes in response to derailment of said railway truck, said valve assembly having a casing with a valve seat, a valve cooperating with said seat for controlling the venting of the train line, a fastener pivotally mounting said valve upon said casing, a latch pivoted to said casing and releasably retaining said valve upon its seat, an actuator for said latch operable in response to derailment of said truck for disengaging said latch from said valve, a valve operating means actuatable by said actuator for positively moving said valve from its seat.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve operating means includes a cam operatively connected with said valve for forcing the latter from its seat.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve operating means includes a cam operatively connected with said valve for forcing the latter from its seat, said cam being mounted on the exterior of said casing and being connected to said latch for operation thereby.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve operating means comprises a lever pivoted to said casing, a cam portion on said lever engageable with said valve for moving the same from its seat upon oscillation of said lever and a link connecting said lever and latch for simultaneous movement by said actuator.

5. In combination with a railway train air brake system, a railway truck, a safety device including a pressure release valve assembly connected with the train line and operable to vent the same for setting the train brakes in response to derailment of said railway truck, said valve assembly having a casing with a valve seat, a valve cooperating with said seat for controlling the venting of the train line, a fastener pivotally mounting said valve upon said casing, a latch pivoted to said casing and releasably retaining said valve upon its seat, an actuator for said latch operable in response to derailment of said truck for disengaging said latch from said valve, a valve operating means actuatable by said actuator for positively moving said valve from its seat, a journal box on said truck and means for detachably mounting said safety device upon said journal box.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said last means includes a strap, means for clamping said strap upon said journal box, and means for securing said casing and said actuator to said strap.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said last means includes a strap, means for clamping said strap upon said journal box, and means for securing said casing and said actuator to said strap, the casing being mounted upon the upper surface of the strap and the actuator being secured to the lower surface of the strap and depending therefrom.

JOSEPH A. DONNELLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,134,335 Hoover Apr. 6, 1915 1,344,232 King June 22, 1920 1,544,390 Harris June 30, 1925 1,825,903 Gloster Oct. 6, 1931 

